1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for moving one or more aircraft engine cowl doors and, more particularly, to a system and method for controlling the movement of one or more engine cowl doors using an electric control system.
2. Description of Related Art
The engines installed on many aircraft are housed within a nacelle. Typically, the engine nacelle includes one or more cowl doors. The cowl doors allow maintenance personnel to access the interior of the nacelle to repair and maintain the engine.
The movement of the cowl doors between the open and closed positions has, in the past, been accomplished via hydraulic or pneumatic actuation systems. Hydraulic systems may include one or more hydraulic controllers and hydraulic lines coupled to the aircraft""s hydraulic system, and hydraulic actuators connected to the doors. Pneumatic systems may include one or more controllers coupled to one or more pneumatic motors that are coupled to the cowl doors via actuators. These hydraulic and pneumatic control systems are generally satisfactory, but can be complex, bulky, and heavy.
Hence, there is a need for an improved system that can control the movement of the engine cowl doors, that is safe, simple, reliable, less expensive, and light in weight as compared to hydraulic or pneumatic control systems. The present invention addresses one or more of these needs.
The present invention provides a comparatively simple, reliable, and lightweight system and method for controlling movement of a jet engine cowl door.
In one embodiment of the present invention, and by way of example only, a system for controlling movement of a jet engine cowl door between an open position and a close position includes an electric motor, at least one actuator, an electrically operated brake assembly, and a first switch. The actuator is coupled to the motor and is operable to move the cowl door to the open position. The electrically operated brake assembly is electrically coupled in parallel with the motor and is operable to allow motor rotation when energized and stop motor rotation when de-energized. The first switch is coupled to a power source and has at least a first position and a second position, the first switch is operable to couple the power source to the motor and the brake assembly when in the first position and remove the power source from the motor and couple the power source to the brake assembly when in the second position.
In another exemplary embodiment, an aircraft engine nacelle includes a nacelle housing with at least one cowl door, a gas turbine engine, and a system for moving the cowl door. The nacelle housing cowl door is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The gas turbine engine is mounted in the nacelle. The system for moving the cowl door includes an electric motor, at least one actuator, an electrically operated brake assembly, and a switch. The actuator is coupled to the motor and is operable to move the cowl door to the open position. The electrically operated brake assembly is electrically coupled in parallel with the motor and is operable to allow motor rotation when energized and stop motor rotation when de-energized. The switch is coupled to a power source and has at least a first position and a second position, the switch is operable to couple the power source to the motor and the brake assembly when in the first position and remove the power source from the motor and couple the power source to the brake assembly when in the second position.
In still another exemplary embodiment, a method of controlling movement of the cowl door between closed and opened positions includes releasing a brake assembly to allow rotation of the electric motor, energizing the electric motor to thereby rotate the motor in a first predetermined direction to move the cowl door to the opened position, and de-energizing the motor to allow the cowl door to move to the closed position under gravitational force.
Other independent features and advantages of the preferred cowl door operating system and method will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.